Where We Are and What’s Ahead.
The Boston Fisheries Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and organizing New England’s fishing history—directly from fishermen, families, and communities.
our present &
Our Future.
- The Boston Fisheries Museum is a registered Massachusetts nonprofit.
- We’re developing a digital archive powered by Mukurtu to preserve Boston’s fishing legacy and make it accessible to all.
- This digital foundation will allow us to curate stories and design exhibits that will later appear in a physical museum space.
- These curated “demo exhibits” will launch our fundraising campaign.
Looking Ahead
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2026 — Ramp up fundraising and bring in a museum design and feasibility consultant. Our goal: showcase a formal exhibit during Sail Boston 2026 to demonstrate what a full museum can become.
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2027–2028 — Begin design and build-out of permanent exhibits, informed by our feasibility and fundraising efforts.
the broader
Museum Concept.
We’re not just hanging photos on a wall — this museum tells a living story.
Guiding theme: Past, Present, and Future.
- Preserving the Past: 400 years of fishing and maritime heritage.
- Engaged with the Present: How today’s fishing industry operates, adapts, and innovates.
- Shaping the Future: Working with local universities (UMass Boston, Northeastern, and others) to explore sustainability, ocean technology, and climate adaptation.
Example Exhibit Idea
“From Handlines to High-Tech” — tracing the U.S. lobster fishery from Native harvests and schooner trade to modern vessels and emerging innovations for sustainability.
Key Message
The Boston Fisheries Museum is where the industry’s past is honored, the present is understood, and the future is shaped—right here on the Boston waterfront.
Help Us Preserve
Our Shared History
Fishermen, families, and historians are invited to explore our new Digital Archive, hosted on the Mukurtu platform. Browse historic photos, upload your own images, or share a story from the sea.
